How It Should Have Been
by iEvenstarEstel
Summary: Things could have been much different, had they chosen another path.


How It Should Have Been  
2013 Evenstar Estel

He kept his arm around her waist as they traversed the distance between where they'd rescued Abby from the maw of the ferocious Mer Creature, back to the anomaly. The path wasn't an easy one either. Sharp rocks impeded their advance, along with weak corral that almost broke Connor's ankle when it shattered beneath him and Abby had to grab for him to keep him from falling through. Slick surfaces nearly caused them to lose their footing numerable times. It was treacherous terrain and they were pursued by the creatures the entire way. Even once they were back on the other side and home in their own time, Connor made no movement to let her go, instead drawing her closer and taking her hand in his without a single word exchanged between them since he'd professed his love to her over that perilous cliff. He just needed to hold her and feel her alive and safe.

He was beyond tired, but no more than she, who'd spent hours treading water trying to keep herself alive long enough for them to come for her. He slowed his gait and she stayed with him as Cutter and Stephen went on ahead. The pair of them were soaked through to the bone and reeked of sea water. Abby felt lightheaded and even a little nauseous from being out in the sun for as long as she had. She'd not eaten or had any proper hydration in over a day. If she wasn't seen to soon, she'd likely faint. Connor was shaking himself, his muscles worn and his nerves frayed to their last thread. He had to keep looking at her to remind himself that he'd got her back. She'd been dead so far as he'd known and it had shattered him.

Not watching where he was going, he caught his foot on one of pipes that jutted out from the floor and went stumbling forwards, bringing Abby with him. He managed to twist himself at the last moment, landing hard on the concrete in a pool of water with Abby crashing down on top of him. He knocked his head against the ground and cried out when her elbow dug into his ribs. With his eyes shut, he breathed in and out through his nose, trying to work through the pain and the dizziness that accompanied it. Abby whimpered and attempted to raise herself, but her weakened body protested and she held on to him instead. When finally he came to his senses and his eyes opened, they met hers. Everything else seemed to fade from existence. Her mascara was smudged and though her eyes were weary, there was something behind them that he connected with instantly. His hands closed about her shoulders and they stared at each other. The thought that flashed through his mind at that moment was that though he was shivering, his face felt hot. He'd not realized it was from his tears until Abby gently brushed them away with her fingertips.

"Connor..." she spoke, barely a whisper over her lips.

"Thought I'd lost you," he choked out, swallowing hard. She pressed her lips together and sniffled, her own emotions bubbling up inside her. "The things I said..."

"On the cliff?" There was something hopeful in her voice and he wanted very much to go there with her, but instead the wrong words came out once again.

"No before, during our row... I didn't meant them."

"I didn't mean what I said either."

His grip upon her tightened and she gasped. She looked very much on the verge of tears herself and in that moment he knew he had to take the risk and repeat the words he'd spoken, the ones he knew had changed things between them. There was no going back regardless. What would be the sense of pretending they hadn't been spoken? More lonely nights full of wanting, wishing and hoping but despairing that they'd never happen?

"I... Abby... I..." he stammered, his bottom lip trembling. "Back there, on the other side... I..." His face screwed up in frustration, not able to force himself to speak. He looked at her beautiful face, her expression expectant and curious, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, waiting for him to speak. He lost his voice completely, falling into the blue of her gaze and felt himself wither. Where was the brave man who'd thrown himself headlong into an anomaly after the woman he loved more than his own life? She was still looking at him, silently begging him to give her what she longed to hear. Something must've misfired in his brain, because he lost all conscious ability to control himself in that moment. His hands left her shoulders and crossed around her back, drawing her down to him as his lips sought hers.

The kiss, their first, wasn't perfect. It was a clumsy gnashing of teeth with tongues and lips haplessly coming together, but it was real and it was true. After a few moments both exhaled and allowed themselves to quiet. The kiss turned into something slow, even approaching being sensual. It was gentle, loving and spoke as adamantly as Connor's words had when he'd refused to let her sacrifice herself. A faint cry on the other side of the anomaly brought them out of their moment and they parted, albeit reluctantly. They rose to their feet, with not another word spoken, and Connor found himself winding his arm around Abby's waist again and he lead her from the warehouse.

It took more than an hour before they found themselves at the door of their flat and unsurprisingly, Connor's arm still held her firm against his body as he searched his pockets for his keys. Something bright and exciting continued to replay itself over and over through his mind and it wasn't the kiss they'd shared, though that was what encompassed every second thought. He'd been waiting for her outside the warehouse, eager to take her home, but patient as she spoke first with Cutter and then with Lucien, the other that had been mixed up in all the trouble with the creatures. So many times the closeness he shared with Abby had been confused by others for something more than just a well bonded friendship. In all previous happenings, she'd vehemently denied that he was her boyfriend. This time however, when Lucien had made the incorrect assumption, Abby had remained silent and from across the parking lot he caught her smiling at him.

Now, as they ascended the stairs, still holding fast to each other, Connor wondered just what it was that had kept Abby silent. They reached the landing and staggered into the flat. She looked longingly in the direction of the bathroom, no doubt in want of a hot shower.

"Abby..." he began. "What you said... or actually, what you didn't say to Lucien..."

"Connor?" was her reply as she turned to face him.

"Listen, Abby... this... I mean us. I, I want..."

"What do you want?"

He took his a deep breath, his nostrils flaring with the sudden return of the courage he'd found hours earlier. "You. I want you." She was stunned, he could tell. Her reaction was secondary though, because he was proud of himself. He'd said at least part of what he'd wanted to and hoped it would be enough.

She gave him a watery smile and he returned it. Once again, staring into each others eyes, all seemed right. It was just them and no one else. Abby reached up and touched the side of his face, stroking her thumb over the apple of his cheek. She then went up on her toes and captured his lips for another kiss, this one far more adept than their first. Connor's arms wound themselves around her body and he lifted her up and he deepened the kiss.

"You, me, hot shower!" Abby demanded, between moments of him devouring her with hot, hungry kisses.

"Oh yes..." came his breathless reply, already turning and carrying her in the direction of the bathroom, neither one aware of Caroline's voice calling for Connor.

!*!*!

"Anyways, that's how it should've been. Not my stupid nerves getting the better of me and certainly not me going off to the theatre with Caroline!" Connor explained. He'd always lament his lack of courage that fateful day. Still, he couldn't say things hadn't worked out well in the end, not with his beautiful wife presently laying naked in his arms, her body still flush and weak as she recovered from the rather awesome orgasms he'd given her. Reclined in bed in the middle of the night in a haze of post-coital bliss, Connor had got to thinking, remembering and then began talking. Most men collapsed and passed out after sex, but not Connor. He talked her ear off, usually prompting her to having to shut him up by either kissing him breathless or disappearing under the covers to distract him as only she could.

"I wouldn't trade our first time for anything in the world," Abby replied, lavishing his bare chest with succulent kisses. "It couldn't have been more wonderful."

"Mmm, true that. Me neither, by the way." There had been a moment, about four months into their being stranded in the Cretaceous Era, when in the quiet of the night under a full moon, they'd reached for each other and abandoned themselves to a passion that had been three long years in the making. Just as Abby had said, it had been incredible, full of love and pleasures the likes of which neither had never experienced before. Since that time so much had changed, but Connor, bless him, still hearkened back to before they admitted their love for each other. They'd been young, scared and untried in the ways of true love. "But I wish it hadn't been so hard, on both of us."

"I know, but it was how things were meant to happen. Where would we be now if we'd taken a different path that day after you'd first told me you loved me? We might not be married now, or have..." As if on cue, a loud squall came from the other side of their bedroom. Abby gave Connor and knowing smile and rose from the bed, walking to the cot to retrieve the baby. She took their son up into her arms and kissed the tears from his cheeks until he calmed. She checked him and found his nappy dry. He'd been nursed not an hour ago, so it seemed all he'd wanted was to be in his mother's arms. He snuffled and nuzzled against Abby as he suckled on the tip of her finger while she gently swayed to and fro.

"Bring him here for a cuddle?" Connor asked, already holding out his arms for their sweet son. Abby obliged and lay the robust boy of just three months to his father's chest. Connor kissed the top of his head and rubbed his back. Abby reclaimed her spot at her husband's side, taking their son's hand in her own and toying with his little fingers. "Actually, Abby, nevermind how it should have been. What we have is perfect."

The End


End file.
